Eparchy of Adigrat

Bishop

Bishop Tesfasellassie Medhin,  Bishop of Eparchy of Adigrat

Birth Place: Alitena, Tigray Birth Date: 8 Jan 1953

Ordained Priest: 4 April 1980

Consecrated Bishop: 20 January 2002

Pope Gregory XVI appointed Mgr Justin de Jacobis Prefect Apostolic of Abyssinia on 10th March 1839. The boundaries of the Prefecture were stated as comprising “Ethiopia and the bordering countries without limits to both West and South.” Now all the places previously mentioned (cf. 2.1.1), therefore, lay within his jurisdiction even when, on 19th June 1847, the Prefecture became the Apostolic Vicariate of Abyssinia despite the establishment in the previous year of the Apostolic Vicariate of the Sudan and the Apostolic Vicariate of the Galla.

Mgr. J. de Jacobis, C.M., first settled in Adwa, where he arrived on 29th October 1839. Towards the middle of December that year Frs. Montuori and Sapeto left for Gonder. From there Fr. Montuori continued to Khartoum, and Fr. Sapeto headed south, intending to participate in Ras Sahle-Selassie’s attempt to Christianise the country’s south. For his part, Mgr. de Jacobis remained in Adwa since it provided better opportunities for communications. After a year spent in studying languages, history and culture, he was asked to join the Ethiopian delegation heading for Cairo in the hope of obtaining a patriarch for Ethiopia. Once the patriarch had been obtained Mgr. de Jacobis with some other members of the delegation, notably Gebremichael, visited Rome and Jerusalem.

On 19th June 1847, the Prefecture of Abyssinia became the Apostolic Vicariate of Abyssinia, and Mgr. de Jacobis was appointed the bishop. His consecration by Mgr. Massaia took place in the greatest secrecy in a hut near Massawa’s coast on the evening of 7th January 1849. Two years later, in 1851, Mgr. de Jacobis founded the parish of Maiberazio.

From then until his death on 31st July 1860, Mgr. de Jacobis lived the life of a hunted bishop. He had two concerns: to save his 12,000 or so Catholics from persecution and to ensure the continuity of the Vicariate. In the latter months of his life, he had great joy when Fr. Charles Delmonte, C.M., arrived in Halay on 12th January 1860. The bishop desired to restrict the number of European personnel to a minimum since he wanted to build an Ethiopian Catholic Church based almost exclusively on Ethiopian diocesan priests. He trusted those priests, and they responded with equal trust. Mgr. de Jacobis’ legacy, therefore, in establishing a viable Ethiopian Catholic Church was founded on two cornerstones: mutual trust and the use of the Ethiopian rite. Mgr.. de Jacobis was canonized on 26th October 1975. Read more..

EXTENT

The Eparchy of Adigrat comprises the whole of the actual Region of Tigray and the northern part (Zone 2) of Afar Region.

APPROXIMATE FIGURES

The population is estimated to be around 24,950 Catholics (0.4% of 5,880,073 total) with pastoral Centres of 34 parishes, 5 missions covering an area of 132,000 km².